Prior to the background of the invention being described, it may be helpful to set forth definitions of certain terms that will be used hereinafter.
The term ‘cutaway shot’, or simply ‘cutaway’ as used herein is the interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else. It is usually, although not always, followed by a cut back to the first shot.
The term ‘B-roll’, sometimes referred to as ‘B roll’ or ‘Broll’ as used herein is supplemental or alternative footage intercut with the main shot which is referred to as the ‘A-roll’ since it is captured by the so-called ‘A camera’. B-roll is a well-known technique used in both film and television industry. In fiction film, B-roll is used to indicate simultaneous action or flashbacks. It documentary films, B-roll is used in interviews, monologs, and usually with an accompanied voiceover, since B-rolls usually do not have their own audio.
The term ‘video production’ used herein is the process of creating video by capturing moving images (videography), and creating combinations and reductions of parts of this video in live production and post-production (video editing). In most cases, the captured video will be recorded on electronic media such as video tape, hard disk, or solid state storage, but it might only be distributed electronically without being recorded. It is the equivalent of filmmaking, but with images recorded electronically instead of film stock.
In video editing, the technique of using a cutaway is common to hide zooms, where the visuals may cut away to B-roll footage of what the person is talking about while the A camera zooms in, then cut back after the zoom is complete.
The cutaway to B-roll footage can also be used to hide verbal or physical tics that the editor and/or director finds distracting: Because the audio is separate from the video, the speaker's voice is heard as a voice-over while B-roll footage is shown. The filmmakers are thus free to excise sniffs, coughs, and so forth without the video showing the small skips associated with these minor excisions. Similarly, a contextually irrelevant part of a sentence or anecdote can be removed to construct a more effective, succinct delivery. In many cases, these latter excisions are legitimate edits used to make a film more pleasing and coherent.
As may be apparent from the aforementioned discussion, manually generating a video productions that involves B-roll is extremely time consuming and requires experience in video production.
It would, therefore, be advantageous to be able to automatically generate video production that includes this feature.